Igniter-valve.



E. SCHROE-DTER IGNITER VAL'VE,

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 10. 1918. I 1,295,801. Patented Feb. 25, 1919.

fig/ 7 mjiiiii/WW/ Q Ln 5 n ATTON Y6 EDMUND scnnonnrnn, or BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

lemma- ALVE.

Application filed June 10, 1918.

' To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDMUND SCHROEDTER, a cltizen of the United States of America,

residing at Brooklyn, New York, have invented a new and useful Igniter-Valve, of

which the following is a specification.

. My present invention relates to the ignition of gasenginesand consists broadly in utilizing the heat of the exhaust gases for igniting the subsequent charges Within the engine. i

In a preferred embodiment the invention comprises a hot tube igniter carried directly by the exhaust valve of the engine in such a Way as to be subjected directly to the heat ofthe gases Within the exhaust passage and exposed to the combustion chamber in such a way as to ignite the fresh chargeswhen they have been brought to the proper degree of compression. According to one form this igniter is in the form of a relatively small tube seated in the head of the exhaust valve and having its interior open to the combustion.

" In this drawing;' I j Figure 1, is a'side elevation of a gas'e'rr gine valve constructed in accordance with lieve a new characteristic in this tion chamber, said tube having a closed end portion projected below the head of the valve and extending into theexhaust passage.

Various other features of the invention will appear as the specification'proceeds.

In the accompanying drawing I have illustrated the'invention embodied in a prac tical commercial form, but with the understanding that the invention is not limited to this form and that various modifications and changesmay be made without departure from the true spirit and scope of the invenand embodying the invention.

7 Fig. 2, is a broken sectional view of the same.

Fig. 3, is a transverse sectional view taken substantially on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4, is a top plan view of the valve. Fig. 5, is a more or less diagrammatic view of the valve as in use in an engine of the L-hea-d type.

The valve illustrated is of the puppet type embodying a head 7 and a stem 8, said stem in this instance being forked at its upper end to provide a series of branches or arms 9 so as to leave an open space 10 5 within or between said arms and beneath the head of the valve.

Specification of Letters Patent.

furthermore 1S 7 v to take the point of a screw-driver or other Patented Feb. 25,1919.

Serial No. 239,238.

11 designates the igniter here shown in the form of a relatively thin-walled tube seated in the valve head and secured therein by means of a screw threaded upper portion 12 engaged in a correspondingly threaded openingor seat 13 in the valve head, said tube being open at its upper end and extending down into the open space 10 between the fo-ked arms of the valve stem, the lower end ofthe tube being closed, as indicated at 14. The upper end of the tube is also shown formed with a tapered head portion 15 making a gas tight joint with the seat in which it'is engaged and which for 'the purpose is simllarly tapered. Said head shown provided with slots 16 tool.

" Up to the present, I have found it best to construct the igniter tube as a relatively thin shell so as to readily take up the heat of the exhaust gases and therefore be maintained sufliciently hotfor ignition purposes even when the engine is running slowly, and to prevent warping or distortion, scaling or rapid wearing away of this relatively thin shell, I have so far found it; best to construct this tube of nickel. This metal I have found is capable of withstanding the high temperature of the exhaust gases without "undue oxidization and without being injuriously affected thereby. Furthermore the ignition tube *of' substantially pure nickel possesses the peculiar p'ropertyof retaining suflicient heat to fire the compressed charges even after'the cooling effect exerte'd'on the tube by the contact of thefreshly admitted relatively cooler charges therewith. This high heatretentivityis particularly advantageous'at slow engine speeds and is, I betion not possessed by nickel steel or other metals'that I have tried for this "purpose.

" The operation of the device will be apmentary ignition means such as an electric spark plug as indicated at 20. The exhaust gases quickly'heat up the ignition tube, and

as soon as said t be is brought to approxicombinamately a red heat the electrical igniter may be dispensed with as then the charges, as they are brought to the proper degree of compression, Will be fired by the hot tube.

This tube, may as shown, be extended well down into the exhaust passage so as to receive the full heat of the exhaust gases ,ignition being automatically advanced, due

to the quicker heating, as the speed of the engine lncre'ases and being automatlcally retarded, as the tube heats slower, due to decreased engine speed. With my, invention,

. therefore, it becomes possible to control the engine solely by the throttle, the ignition being automatically controlled and main-.

tained at the point of greatest efiiciency'by conditions Within the engine. The igniter tube-has a tendency to clean itself and keep free of carbon deposits, etc., by reason of the fact that the propagation of the flame occurs at the, hottest part, the bottom or pocket in the lower end of the'tube,this initial flame or explosion in the bottom of the tube tending to clean the tube of any foreign matter or possible carbon deposits.

My invention, it will be apparent, makes the engine automatic or self-igniting and may be used as an auxiliary to the ordinary electricignition system, oras above set forth,

the electricfignition may be dispensed with as soonas the so-called exhaust igniter becomes operative. In the case where the exhaust igniter is used in conjunctioniwlth,

or as an auxiliary,to the electrical ignition system, this automatic igniter is of particular value in thatit insures more rapid flame propagation and ignition at the most efiicient point and further, in that in caseof failureof the electric ignition system the engine Willcontinue torun under theautomatic ignition. The electrical ignition apparatus may be dispensed with by providing Copies of thisgpatent "may be obtained for "to cause the current I to longitudinally traverse the tube, the resistance effect being suflicientto heat the tube enough to fire the charge.

I claim r 1. In a gas engine, a puppet valve including a valve head and a stem connected thereto, said valve stem being connected to the valve head by forked arms to thereby provide anopen space within said arms and beneath the valve head and an' igniter element mounted in the valve head and having a dependent portion disposed within said open space-between the forked arms of the valve stem. 7 a

2. In a gas engine, an exhaust valve comprising, a valve head and a valve stem having forked arms connected With said head, said forked arms being disposed within the exhaust port of the engine and an igniter element carried by the valve between said forked arms and exposed to the gases of combustion within said exhaust port.

3. The combination with a gas engine exhaustvalve, of an ignition tube disposed in the path of flow of the exhaust gases past said valve and exposed also to the freshly admitted charges, said ignition tube being of substantially pure nickel of high heat retentivity and thereby capable offiring the compressed chargesfollowing the cooling efiect exerted thereon by the admission of the fresh relatively cool charges into'contact therewith; v v o e 4. A gas engine exhaust valve comprising a valvehead and an ignition tube carried by said valve'head in the pathofflow of the exhaust gases past said valveqand exposed also to the freshly admitted charges, said ignition tubeibeingflof substantially pure' nickel of high heat retentivity and thereby ca )able of firin the com ressed charges fol-.

l s P lowing the coolmg effectexerted thereon by the admission of the fresh relatively cool charges into contact therewith. -V EDMUND SCHROEDTER.

five cents each, by addressing the "Commissioner of Patents, Washington; D. 0.? g r I 

